Contact:
Giavana Suraci 
T 215.440.5516
gsuraci@centercityphila.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Character meet-and-greets, music, storytime and more this May 7!

PHILADELPHIA (April 14, 2022) – Parkway Pals Play Day at Sister Cities Park will return for the first time since 2019 on Saturday, May 7 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. with free activities and entertainment for children and their families. The all-day celebration of laughter and learning is the official kick-off event for Parkway Pals, a summertime educational series that brings nearby cultural institutions outside for kid-friendly programming.

Visitors are invited to join friends and neighbors for a full lineup of performances, including sing-a-longs with Silly Joe, a bubble magic show and Story and Movement Adventures with Thembi Palmer. Kids can shake off their sillies with energetic Soccer Shots demonstrations, and will even get a chance to rock out with Mr. Boom Boom and friends from Music Play Patrol. The fun keeps coming with crafts, balloon animals, meet-and-greet characters and more! Everyone is encouraged to stick around for the entire event as entertainment will be provided from start to finish.

The Children’s Discovery Garden and Boat Pond will be open throughout the afternoon, and the Earth Fountain will keep kids cool in between performances. The Sister Cities Café will also be open with a full menu of grab-and-go snacks and treats.  

The day’s entertainment includes:

11 a.m.: Silly Joe Sing-a-Long 
11:15 a.m.: Story Adventures with Thembi Palmer
11:30 a.m.: Travel-Inspired Activities with the Geography Lady   
11:45 a.m.: Rock Out with Music Play Patrol
12 p.m.: Storytime with the Free Library of Philadelphia  
12:15 p.m.:  Bubble Magic Show
12:45 p.m.: Music Play Patrol Encore
1 p.m.:  Movement Adventures with Thembi Palmer
1:15 p.m.: Soccer Shots Demonstration  
1:30 p.m.: Tree House Books Story Reading
1:45 p.m.: Butterfly Release with Insectopia and the Butterfly Princess
2 p.m.: Silly Joe Storytime
2:15 p.m.: Canticuentos – Spanish Stories and Songs with Ana Atach
2:30 p.m.: Meet-and-Greet Your Favorite Pups on Patrol

Many of these entertainers will be stationed around the park with fun activities and interactive lessons throughout the afternoon, including the Free Library of Philadelphia Book Bike and engaging animal and insect lessons with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

This event is weather permitting and subject to change. Sister Cities Park is located at 18th St. and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. For more information, visit www.sistercitiespark.org.

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Sister Cities Park was first dedicated in 1976 in recognition of Philadelphia's commitment to the international Sister Cities program. The park was redesigned and rededicated in 2012. Like the international flags that are on display along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Sister Cities Park celebrates Philadelphia's commitment to strengthening global economic ties and cultural understanding. The Sister Cities program links Philadelphia to the world by creating special relationships with eight Sister Cities and three Partnership Cities in 10 countries, which include: Florence, Italy; Tel Aviv, Israel; Torun, Poland; Tianjin, China; Incheon, Korea; Douala, Cameroon; Nizhny Novgorod, Russia; Kobe, Japan; Aix-en-Provence, France and Abruzzo, Italy. In July 2015, the German city of Frankfurt am Main also was added to the list. For more information on the program, visit www.cdiphila.org.

The Center City District, a private-sector organization dedicated to making Center City Philadelphia clean, safe and attractive, is committed to maintaining Center City’s competitive edge as a regional employment center, a quality place to live, and a premier regional destination for dining, shopping and cultural attractions. Find us at www.centercityphila.org and on Facebook and Twitter.